Daytime Habits to Help You Sleep
Below is a list of daytime habits that can greatly affect the way you sleep. Some are good and some are bad. Following these tips can help you maximize your sleep time.
Exercise
No one will argue the benefits of exercising every day. From a sleep standpoint, exercise should be done as early in the day as possible. If you exert yourself too close to bedtime, your body temperature will not drop low enough to fall asleep for several hours. Low body temperature is essential for falling asleep.
If you must exercise later in the day, try to do it at least 5 or 6 hours before you plan to go to bed. This will give your body temperature enough time too cool down. It's important that you keep exercising, just adjust your workout times so you can continue to enjoy the other benefits that exercise provides. You can also reduce the intensity of your workout if you can't change the time.
Caffeine
Most people realize that drinking coffee before bed is not a good idea due to the caffeine. There are many other beverages that contain caffeine that should also be avoided before bed. You should also stay away from soda, tea, and energy drinks in the evening. Be careful what types of deserts you eat as well. Chocolate also contains caffeine so you should stay away from it as well.
It should be noted that caffeine does not affect everyone the same way. Try adjusting the amount of caffeine you consume and the times you consume it. This can help you figure out if it is responsible for your sleep problems.
Alcohol/Nicotine
Many people mistakenly think that alcohol actually helps you sleep. It's true that alcohol may put you to sleep faster, but you probably won't stay sleeping. If you are a smoker you will probably wake up more frequently due to nicotine withdrawals.
Again, you can tell if alcohol is affecting your sleep by cutting back on your intake in the evenings. Eliminating nicotine from your life will not only help you sleep better, it will improve your overall health.
Food and drink
There are also certain foods you should avoid before trying to sleep, especially those that cause heartburn. Heartburn is closely related to foods and beverages that are tomato based, so you should definitely avoid these. The effects of heartburn will only worsen as you lie down, and this will cause you to wake up during the night. Drinking excess amounts of any type of liquid will cause you to have to get up and urinate during the night.
Napping
Napping is a very enjoyable activity for most, but it may be adversely affecting the amount of sleep you get at night. If you must take a nap during the day, try to limit it to no more that 30 minutes. Even better would be to cut out napping all together.
Sleeping Guide and Tips
Sleep Hygiene – Taking Care of Your Sleep
Sleep Hygiene – How to Prepare for a Good Night Sleep
Sleep and Shift Work
How to Get Back to Sleep When Sleep is Disrupted
Creating a Better Sleep Environment to Help You Sleep
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